Bryant Takes Home NSCAA All-East Region Third Team Honors

December 04 2015
Category: Athletics

Michael Bryant '17 of the Elmira College men's soccer team can add another award to his long list of accolades, as the Portola Hills, CA, native has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-East Region Third Team. Bryant becomes Elmira's first NSCAA All-Region selection since 2012."There is no question Michael is one of the best players in the region," said Head Coach Keith Moore. "I'm delighted he has been recognized by the coaches around the region and the NSCAA. All of Michael's hard work is paying off and there is a lot more to come."Bryant, who was honored earlier this season by being named to the Empire 8 Conference First Team, pieced together a truly special season in 2015. He finished the year with a career-high 39 points on a career-best 18 goals and three assists.The bulk of Bryant's scoring took place during the heart of the season, one that saw the West Coast striker score in eight consecutive games, the longest such streak of his two-year Elmira career. During that eight-game stretch, Bryant scored 12 of his season's 18 goals, as the Soaring Eagles went 4-1-3 with conference victories over Utica College and Houghton College.His 18 goals are the second-most scored by an Elmira player in program history and his 39 points are tied for sixth-most as well. Bryant also became the first player to crack the program's Top-10 single-season point and scoring charts since 1997 and 2000, respectively. He averaged a conference-leading 2.29 points per game and 1.06 goals per game, while his 18 goals were the most in the E8 as well. Bryant's numbers ranked amongst the best in the country, as his goals per game average, total goals, and points per game average ranked fifth, 11th, and 16th in NCAA Division III Men's Soccer, respectively.Bryant's efforts helped turn a one-win season a year ago into a 7-6-5 showing for EC in 2015, which culminated in an Empire 8 Conference Tournament Semifinal appearance, Elmira's first since 2012. The Soaring Eagles went on to play top-seeded Ithaca College to a 0-0 double overtime draw in the E8 playoffs but would bow out of the tournament, as the Bombers edged the Purple and Gold in a marathon penalty kick shootout, 11-10.

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